" It is a shame for a woman to grow old without ever seeing the strength and beauty of which her body is capable." -Socrates

Menu

Tag Archives: flooding

Post Harvey here in Houston and the trauma is still blistering and surreal. It became glaringly obvious early into the downpour that anything I have to blog about in regards to fitness would seem superficial and maybe even insensitive. My heart hurts for those who have lost their possessions which provided some physical comfort in daily life and for the loss of emotional comforts found in sentimental items which are irreplaceable. The most tragic news reports of those attempting to get to high ground the number still climbs of so many souls lost young and old.

There is a complete upheaval in all of our lives and while we would love for things to return to "normal" as if there was never 50 something inches of rain drenching and drowning our community it is becoming clear that we may all need to learn to cope with our new "normal".

Post Harvey Here in Houston

This may be a good time to seek out the help of a professional counselor, this is more than dealing with a loss of some kind but actually, this is a traumatic experience for all of us here in Houston. It is ok to need help and to seek help in all forms. Learning to cope with emotional and physical trauma is what you need to get you through and towards accepting a new "normal".

Debrief. Yes, that really just means talk it out. For all individuals involved in flood water rescues be it the professional or volunteer emergency crews or the families and individuals needing to be rescued it is so important to debrief. Now as wonderful as it would be to connect with those individuals who you were with during your emergency situation it may not be possible, but still, try to find someone to listen while you talk about your experience during such a high-stress experience.

Consider your safety, while you undoubtedly want to clear your house of debris and water damaged materials there are some precautions to take. While water is present in your home there is the risk of electrocution, or contamination, as your home dries there is the risk of mold or rot. While moving water logged items out of your home there is the risk of tetanus exposure or unwanted creatures being displaced as well as lift hazards. During all this manual labor remember to hydrate and rest when needed.

Watch out for scammers. Request credentials and references, Do not pay up front for services. Watch out for looters. These are the hard core folks looking to take advantage, activate your neighborhood watch. Use nextdoor.com as a resource for help as well as security.

Really, I'm sure you have heard all this before, I just wanted to put together a brief list of suggestions on how you can take care of you and your family during this trying time. I also suggest trying to finding the beauty and aw in natures power. This image is on the buffalo bayou.

This is just west of Sabine bridge, in front of the skate park and playground. The sandy bank is actually the pedestrian trail covered by silt. There used to be towering shade trees between the bayou and the pedestrian trail. I will miss that bit of shade and beauty but the impressive power of the water makes my mouth gape. And if natures power still shakes you up, which is understandable as it is only 3 weeks Post Harvey Here in Houston.

You can always divert your eyes until you can find something to remind you of how things used to be even if just for a moment. I never would have found this area of the trail had my path not been covered by water (Check out the first picture).

These pictures are taken at the Buffalo Bayou less than 3 weeks Post Harvey Here in Houston one of my favorite places in Houston. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership is a non-profit organization and they need your help. If you are interested in volunteering, donating, or making any suggestions go to buffalobayou.org to find out the details on how you can contribute.

Let me know how I can help! Please don't be afraid to ask, me, your friends, family, neighbors, church, or organizations how you can help or how you can get help!

About Me

priscilla

Explore fitness and health with me as a regular attempt-to-do-it-all-mom. I don't know about you but it seems with each year and each child I have a completely different body to get to know! Join me as I explore those lady changes and share how I attempt to overcome all the obstacles that life brings so I can be my best for myself and my family. Read More…